A MONOTONOUS LANDSCAPE

by Gunter Herburger ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 13, 1968

If the end of the last war introduced a new concept of power politics, generally termed the balance of terror, it also produced a complementary theme in modern literature, that of anomie and affluence. In one of Gunter Herburger's short stories we come across a familiar bit of ironic dialogue: ""We're building a cheese factory."" ""So I've heard. ... You pour in milk at one end and out come ready-wrapped cheese slice at the other."" ""The very latest thing."" The characters here are disintegrating in a monotonous landscape: they are victims of an inhuman technology and completely thwarted human instincts. In these tales lasting relationships are impossible, and one fills up one's days with hollow boasts, petty aggressions, or violent fantasy. The demented Everyman of the title story -- a remarkably vivid interior monologue -- gets his kicks coupling visions of sexual assault against the background of a former concentration camp, now used as browning ground for the weekend visitors. Of course Herburger is writing about the new Germany subtly interlaced with overtones of the Nazi past, but one of the characteristics of alienation today is its international flavor. Cheever or Cortazar or the films of Antonioni -- the settings may differ and the regional nuances change; still, the feeling of muted desperation or everyday ambiguity is common to all. Herburger writes splendidly in this tradition, and his collection is an impressive debut indeed.

Pub Date: March 13, 1968

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Harcourt Brace & World

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1968

Categories: FICTION